MakerBot Announces The Replicator 2 3D Printer

MakerBot has been one of the biggest names in the hobbyist 3D printing movement for the past few years. The company's Replicator made 3D printing affordable earlier this year with a single extruder model only costing $1,749. Now the company is ready to jump into the next generation.

MakerBot announced today that they're bringing the MakerBot Replicator 2 to market. It's everything that you loved about the first Replicator, but it's now been redesigned with professionals in mind. The guys at MakerBot noticed that professionals were flocking to the original Replicator due to its cheaper price compared to enterprise solutions.

Here's everything you need to know about the new Replicator 2:

The hardware has seen some major advancements. The Replicator 2 prints objects at a 100-micron layer resolution. Users will no longer have to sand down rough edges on printed objects. It also has a massive 410 cubic inch build volume. It's 37 percent larger than the build volume of the original Replicator. It also has been optimized for PLA, a bio-degradable plastic that MakerBot sells.

MakerBot is also introducing a new 3D modeling software called MakerWare. They claim that it's simple enough for amateurs and powerful enough for industry professionals to get the most out of it.

To demonstrate the Replicator 2's ability, here's a time lapsed video of the machine building a replica of a Parisian building. It's quite impressive to say the least.

The MakerBot Replicator 2 is aimed squarely at the industry professionals. As such, its price is a little higher than the original Replicator. You can get the Replicator 2 now for $2,199. Compared to other enterprise solutions, the Replicator 2 is a steal.